The country wouldn’t have to continue importing bees from the United States each year after 25% of its colonies are gone. Importing bees from abroad is costly and can lead to new disease. Professor Amro Zayed is a bee genome expert and professor at York University. He and Prof. Leonard Foster work at the University of British Columbia. They are currently leading a project that aims to create winter-resistant, disease-resistant honeybees. Professor Zayed inspects a colony of bees. Image: YouTube. They were awarded CAN$7.3million in funding from both the government and industry. Professor Zayed expressed concern about Canada’s food security: “It’s very clear that there must be innovative solutions to bee health, because bee declines can have severe consequences for Canada’s economy and food safety.” The Canadian honeybees are responsible for producing approximately 75 millions of pounds each year. The honeybees also pollinate many vegetables and fruits, as well as nuts and oilseeds like canola. Each year, Canada’s GDP (gross national product) is CN$4.6billion. Canada’s honeybee population is in decline. Many beekeepers have reported significant annual losses for the last ten years. Scientists will use a cutting-edge tool to study the health and well-being of people, to apply it for honeybees. The country will not be as dependent on imported honeybees if it can genetically modify its honeybees to survive Canada’s harsh winters. Professor Zayed stated that genetic data can be used to predict honeybee behaviour. “Our team has demonstrated recently that it is possible to predict specific colonies’ behavior by studying their genes. It is no longer necessary to observe colonies in order to predict their health. The scientists will be able to identify genetic and proteomic markers that can help them select 12 traits to make breeding economically feasible. The ability to quickly and economically breed healthy colonies of bees that are disease-resistant, productive and profitable will allow beekeepers to better withstand the Canadian winters. Although this won’t eliminate the necessity to import bees, scientists will develop an accurate and cost-efficient test that can detect Africanized bees. This new test is an improvement to the earlier one Prof. Zayed, along with colleagues at University of Sydney, developed. The researchers hope that eventually beekeepers will have access to new tools. Their project is expected to bring significant economic benefits for Canada’s beekeepers and agrifood industries. It could generate as much as CAN $150 millions annually. Genome BC and Ontario Genomics will lead the project. It is a roadmap for improved global honeybee health. Genome Canada is funding the research through its 2014 Large Scale Applied Research Project Competition: Geneomics and Feeding The Future. Genome Quebec, Genome Alberta, and the BC Honey Producers Association are other funders. Video: Using genomics for bees. Prof. Zayed discusses how genomics tools help to predict colony behavior and help to breed better bees.
